Messenger call box



July 1, 1941. w. KlMMlCH ETAL MESSENGER CALL BOX Original Filed May 22, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 INVENTORS WILL/AM K/MM/CH 4ND f AN SCH/VOOR A TTORN E Y.

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Patented July 1, 1941 2,247,758 1 MESSENGER can. cox Y William Kimmich, Flushing, and -Herman Schnoor, New York, N. Y., as'signors to Radio Corporation of ware America, acorpjoration of Dela-,

2 Claims. .7 (01. iii-37s) This invention relates to a new and novel messenger call box or signal transmitter of the code wheel type employed to call a messenger from a central telegraph operating ofilce to that of a client.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 81,176, filed May 22, 1936, and has claims directed to the display legend made visible upon rotation of the operating handle as will be described in detail later.

An object of this invention is to simplify and improve messenger call boxes, also to reduce the manufacturing costs of the same.

Another object of this invention is to provide a, substantial and reliable messenger call box which is capable of continuous use with a minimum amount of servicing.

This invention is an improvement over the invention of P. J. Barnes, application Ser. No. 69,470, filed March 18, 1936 and which application has been abandoned. The principal driving mechanism is substantially the same, except for the location of the spring tension member and its application being that of rotation instead of straight elongation. Also, the general assembly of the component parts are located within a circular casing.

A feature of this invention is the general eflicient arrangement of the apparatus within a suitable container to provide a neat appearing device which has located on the front portion thereof a legend of courtesy appearing only when the apparatus is actuated and a call made to the central ofiice.

The call box of this invention is briefly a selfcontained hand-wound clockwork mechanism which transmits electrical impulses from a code wheel. The clockwork mechanism consists of a spring-driven compound gear train which is retarded by a centrifugal governor. wheel is fastened to one of the gear shafts and arranged to open and close contact elements.

This invention will be more completely understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved call box;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the call box with the cover removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of Figs. 1 and 2, the section being taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the section being taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; while Fig. 5 is a detail of a modification in the ratchet wheel arrangement.

The code Referring now'in detail to the drawings, the' entire device is completely enclosed'by a metallic cover l, which is mounted upon an insulating I and an upper plate 4. Plates 3 and 4 are held 7 apart from each other by spacers 5, 6 and 1. Two

of these spacers, namely 5 and 6, serve also the dual purpose of acting as stop members. lating base 2 is fastened to plate 3 by a plurality of flat head screws 3". A windup arm 8 fashioned out to be representative of a flash of lightning is fastened to a shaft 9 and keyed on by means of a spiral end portion In. A sector gear H is secured to shaft 9 by any suitable means, such as a pin or screw 2. Energy to operate the gear train mechanism is provided by a helical windup spring I3. This spring surrounds a sleeve member l4, which is free to rotate on the keying or code wheel shaft l5. Secured to sleeve I4 is a spur gearl6 and a single tooth ratchet cam ll, both of which are also free to rotate on shaft 5. Through the medium of a spring pawl l9 engaging the step on the single tooth ratchet cam IT, a spur gear I8 is driven when spring I 3 is wound up and knob 8 is released. One end of spring I3 is fastened around spacer I and the other is firmly secured to sleeve 4. Securely fastened to code wheel shaft I5 is the spur gear l8 which has provided thereon one end of the ratchet spring or pawl 9, the latter being secured to gear I8 by angle 20 and rivets 20. A pinion 2| has secured thereto a second spur gear 22, which engages and drives a second pinion 23. On this pinion there is located the governor mechanism which comprises a shaft 24, weight 25, sprin 26 and washer Z1. Friction is obtained by weight 25 engaging the inner periphery of the governor brake drum 28, brake drum 28 being secured to the underside of the upper plate 4 by rivets 29. Plates 3 and 4 are secured to spacers 5, 5 and 1 by means of a plurality of screws 30. Upon the upper portion of plate 4 there is provided a pair of contact springs 3| and 32 having contact points 33 and 34. Contact'springs 3| and 32 are insulatedly secured to plate 4 by means of a block 35, insulating spacer 35, bushings 31 and screws 38, electrical contact being made to the springs by soldering at the extended portion 3| and 32' to a pair of leads 40. Leads 40 are brought through an aperture 42 in upper plate 4 and lower plate 3, and are carried out through a groove (not shown) in the lower portion of the insulating base 2. The cover I is cut away for leads 40 at a point 42'. The contact spring as- Insusembly is fastened to the upper plate 4 by two screws 39. A code wheel 43 is securely keyed to shaft l by means of a key 44 and locked in firm position thereon by a washer 45 and set screw 45'. The lower and upper plates 3 and 4 respectively are provided with apertures 46,41 and 48 located approximately 120 apart, through which a screw driver can pass for fastening the call box to a wall by any suitable screws, not shown. The operating knob 8 is relatively long and narrow and is shaped to represent a lightning flash. Directly below knob 38 in its inoperative position there is located a legend of courtesy 49, such as Thank you shown dotted on the cover I of Fig. 1. Cover 4 is secured to base 2 by means of a plurality of screws 50. Also, knob 8 is secured to shaft 9 by means of screw 5!.

The modified ratchet wheel arrangement shown in Fig. 5 comprises a pawl 60, made preferably of cold rolled steel or any other suitable hard metal. A spring 6| bears against the back of pawl 80 and is secured to gear l8 by angle and rivets 20. This modification is desirable when'eall boxes are subjected to frequent use, as. it prevents destruction of spring IS.

The operation of the call box is as follows: When the knob 8 is turned in a clockwise direction, it in turn moves the quadrant H- in a clockwise. direction until it is brought to a stop at spacer 5. The helical tension spring l3 is thereby wound around sleeve I4 one complet turn and in so doing, ratchet I1 is also moved one turn untilthe single tooth engages spring pawl l9. Now, if knob 8 is released, the energy stored up in spring l3 will cause ratchet I! through the medium of spring pawl 19 to rotate spur gear IS in a clockwise direction which also rotates pinion H and spur gear 22 in an anti-clockwise direction. The second pinion 23, to which the governor is fastened, rotates in a clockwise direction, the speed being controlled by member 25 expanding due to centrifugal force against the inner portion of brake drum member 28, the centrifugal force exerting pressure in the form of friction against member 28 and the train of gears will then rotate with a substantial uniform motion. The gear ratio is such that for each windup or motion of knob 8, one revolution is obtained on the keying wheel shaft I5. The cam action caused by the teeth-like code members on the outer periphery of code wheel 43 closes the normally opened contacts 33 and 34 on the contact springs 3| and 32 which are connected to a re- I extending through the casing for operating said call mechanism, a legend of courtesy fixed to said casing, an operating member attached to said means normally covering said legend of courtesy and movable to uncover the legend when the call mechanism is set in position to operate.

2-. A messenger callbox comprising a casing, call mechanism within said casing having means extending through the casing for operating said call mechanism, a legend of courtesy integral with said casing, an operating member attached to said means normally covering said legend of courtesy and movable to uncover the legend when the call mechanism is set in position to operate.

WILLIAM KIMMICH. HERMAN SCHNO OR. 

